Ulster County Police Chiefs Association marks 40 years (video)

It's been 40 years since the Ulster County Police Chiefs Association was formed as a way to encourage local law-enforcement agencies to work together and respect one another.

That continuing spirit of cooperation is evident each time a police agency calls on a neighboring agency to assist with manpower and equipment during an emergency or an ongoing investigation.

Philip Sinagra of Hurley was one of the founders of the association and is a life member of the group. When the association was formed, Sinagra was chief of the constabulary in the town of Hurley. His son, Joseph, currently is chief of the Saugerties Police Department and the association's secretary.

"Prior to 1973, I think most departments operated very independently," Philip Sinagra said recently. He said the association was formed so police agencies in the area would work together, respect one another and not be afraid to call on each other for help.

Advertisement

Sinagra, who went on to serve in Hurley and Ulster County government, said agencies soon began sharing assets and participating in joint training, including that offered by the FBI.

"I remember the first class was on professionalism," Sinagra said.

He said one of the things he's never forgotten from that class the lesson that if an officer acts like a professional, he or she will be a professional. That first impression was a lasting one, Sinagra said.

State police Capt. Robert Nuzzo, who oversees troopers in Ulster and Greene counties, said the association was formed to improve cooperation among local law enforcement.

"What we're really benefiting from today is the fruits of their labor," Nuzzo said of the group' founders. He said he has worked all over New York state and that the cooperation in Ulster County is unique. Nuzzo said local agencies are willing to reach out to one another, and when that happens, a department's resources are multiplied.

The first meeting of the Ulster County Police Chiefs Association was held on Feb. 27, 1973. At that meeting, then-New Paltz town Police Chief John Taylor was elected the group's first president. He was joined by then-Kingston Police Chief Julius Glassman as vice president, then-New Paltz village Police Chief Harold Bowers as secretary and then-SUNY New Paltz Police Chief Edward Shannon as treasurer.

Each year, the Police Chiefs Association honors local police officers and agencies that go above and beyond the call of duty, as well as citizens who assist them. The association also provides scholarships.

Sinagra said that in its first year, the association provided two $100 scholarships to students attending Ulster County Community College to pursue careers in law enforcement.

Nuzzo said the association has broadened its scholarships to provide between $500 and $1,000 each year to high school students who plan to attend college.

For this year's association awards, "we received an extraordinary number of nominations," Nuzzo said. "It was very hard to sift through the best of the best."

He said the association opted to award multiple people in some categories because so many officers and agencies went above and beyond the call of duty.

The 40th anniversary and awards banquet is scheduled for May 5 at Diamond Mills Hotel and Tavern in Saugerties. The event will begin with an expo at 4 p.m. showcasing 40 years of police cars and equipment.

Tickets are $50 apiece, or $90 per pair, and can by purchased from any police chief in Ulster County or by contacting Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra at (845) 246-9800 or jsinagra@police.saugerties.ny.us.